Father's love
by roxyfire57
Summary: We all know Goku. We all know his tendency to well... disappear. We all know his son, Gohan. But do we know what Gohan feels about his father?


**We all know Goku. We all know his tendency to well... disappear. We all know his son, Gohan. But do we know how Gohan feels about his father?**

When I was four, I found out I was half-alien, got kidnapped by my psychopathic uncle, watched my father die in front of my eyes, then got kidnapped again by a tall green guy.

When I was five, I watched my mentor (previously my tall green abductor) and my allies-my father's friends-die, and found out I could turn into a giant monkey under the full moon. Then I travelled through space with danger at every turn to battle an intergalactic tyrant, resulting in a planet's explosion and the second disappearance of my father.

When I was six I encountered two intergalactic tyrants far stronger than the previous, and soon after received devastating news of an imminent catastrophe that could very well wipe mankind of the face of the earth in three years, by a mysterious time traveller. On the bright side, my father came back.

When I was nine I fought against six mechanical monsters (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, Cell), in which I became too overconfident and lost my father for the third time. And guess what, this time he didn't want to come home. Not to mention some afro faker stole all my credit.

When I was twelve (counting the years in the hyperbolic time chamber) I witnessed the birth of my younger brother who looked uncannily like my father, and at the age of twelve years had to play the father role in a baby's life because the real one was too busy enjoying himself elsewhere.

When I was eighteen my father returned home, and we had to fight another crazily strong evil being bent on taking over the world, but in the end Earth was restored and my father decided to stay behind. Also I got a girlfriend.

Oh, right, my name. Son Gohan. I hope you know me… of course you do. Eldest son of legendary Son Goku (or Kakarot as Vegeta puts it)! Yay me.

You must be thinking, 'oh my gosh Gohan! You are such a great fighter with an awesome body, how do you do it? I bet you get chased by girls constantly… you started saving the world at such a young age, how do you manage? And you're a scholar too! That must be awesome!' or something along that line, right? Most probably. Did I miss out anything? I know people love me a lot and probably have more questions but lets just focus here.

Anyway, I train. A lot. That is essential when one is constantly saving the world from increasingly stronger villains. Am I popular with the ladies? Well yes, but I stay truthful to Videl. I mean, I love that girl! Also she scares away her fellow 'competitors' being the strongest lady in the world and all, not counting Eighteen. Honestly, I don't know why she stopped fighting, she sure had potential! Something about being a stay-home mum for Marron…

Back to the point! I study because of my mum, but in the end she was right. It does pay off to have a stable education. After all, high school is where I met Videl...Ahem... and of course, other friends as well. (Sharpner, wouldn't really consider him a friend, would I? And Erasa, who reminds me of Bulma's mum.)

Am I stressed? Yes. I have a test coming on tomorrow and yet here I am, with the sudden urge to write a… well, what can I call this- a single perspective-based organised documentation of my thoughts.

I know that was not what you meant to ask. Anyway, yes I am, but I manage. I know it's not possible to save everyone, especially when the world is in danger,but I try my best. I'm not my father-call me selfish if you want, but sometimes I fight not to save the world-Its not Earth's fault that its an evil villain magnet, but I save the world so many times I get tired of it. No, I fight for my friends and family, for the people I love. And truth to be told, I can't be bothered if half of the world's population dies out as long as the people around me are safe.

I would die before I let anything happen to mum, Piccolo, Videl and Goten. Chi Chi is harsh with a sharp tongue, and to beware when she is wielding that frying pan, but she's a great mother. She was always with me by my side-she forced me to study, and although it was hard it paid off in the end. For quite a period of time she raised me alone, especially during my father's convenient disappearances.

Piccolo is like my second father, since the real one I had was… well, out of commission. He kidnapped me, yes, but it was because of that I got to really know him (better than the rest of the z-fighters) and he sorta became the father figure that actually stayed for the better of my childhood.

Videl, of course. The love of my life, the girl of my dreams. Initially she was the strong daughter of Satan with pigtails who couldn't stop glaring at me-whose glares were not as effective as mum's of Vegeta's. Then, gradually, she transformed into the beautiful, smart lover who I would die for. Don't ask, it just happens.

And never forgetting Goten. My younger brother, I watched him grow up and had to play daddy to him. He took after father in more ways than one-looks, attitude, and the way Vegeta puts it-intelligence. I can't say I don't agree with him, though. Goten and father were never really too… bright. But nevertheless, I love Goten. I never thought I would be able to handle living with Goten at first, seeing he looked exactly like the dead Goku, but I learned to love him-a lot. If anyone tried to take him away they would have to kill me first. But there was another trait I shared with Goten, that drew him to me in the first place.

The fact that our father was not there.

Don't get me wrong, I love Goku. And he took great care of me when he was around-since I was born, and for many, many years. Also, every time he left, he came back. He died thrice, and three times he returned to us with a smile on his face.

On second thought, four years is not really a big number. I've been with Videl for longer than that.

I heard stories from my friends, about my parents' marriage. Back when Goku was 12, he had promised to take a young, beautiful girl as his bride, but only because he thought a 'bride' was food. Can you actually believe that?! And years later, Goku met Chi Chi once more, and because of the promise he made back then, he married her. And I was the result. Still, a promise? Did father really love mum, of did he marry her because of a promise?! I mean, if Goku actually knew what a bride was when he met Chi Chi, then it would all have been romantic-childhood lovers reunited. But he didn't.

But I know father loves us. It was always wonderful when he was around, he played with me and trained with me and spent time with me. All that he did, was for us. The first time he died, was while against uncle Radditz. You know, we used to think Radditz was strong, but looking back on it he was one of the weakest opponents we ever faced… Anyway, the first time he left us, was because he had to protect me. And good thing too, he got a lot stronger because of his training and defeated the saiyans. And that time, it was pretty traumatising-a four year old witnessing his father getting shot through the chest by a laser beam. But I know that time, he did not return as he had to get stronger to protect us, because he loves us.

The second time he disappeared, was after the demise of planet Namek. He didn't die, but somehow he refused, at that time, to come back. When I heard Porunga say that, I felt my heart break-I knew mum, beside me, felt the same way too. I mean, why wouldn't he come back? He surely missed us… right? He came back though, a year later, and silly old me, expecting a nice happy family reunion with fun and games and no worries-then Trunks turned up and promised us a future of desperation and devastation.

And I was actually hoping, that after the Cell games, that my father and my mum and me would be reunited, and we could spend the rest of our lives as a warm, loving family. And then he blew up. It was my fault, actually, I became overconfident and thought I would definitely be able to beat him, but I slipped and he got the better of me. I really hated myself then, especially when father told me the only way was to take Cell somewhere else with him. It was my foolishness that had killed him. But that was not what had gotten me the most-he wanted to stay dead. I remembered screaming and crying.

"Dad! I know it's my fault! I know I was wrong! Please, Dad! I'm sorry! You don't have to stay dead to tell me that!"

He made up some reason about being a trouble-magnet. He wanted to keep us safe, so bad guys wouldn't come looking for him. But doesn't he get it?! He is the one keeping Earth's peace! Him, Son Goku! He is Earth's protector! That's not a valid reason at all!

But he came back. he came back for me, for mum, for Goten. Father came home, after so long… All this while, he just wanted to protect us. To made sure we-his family, were safe. He didn't leave because he got tired of us, or because he didn't love us anymore. He left because he wanted to help us, to defend us. To watch over us. Nad no matter when or why he left, he always came home to his family.

Because he loved us.

...right?

**End.**

**Please R&R! Yayy!**


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